1st4cruising.com has appointed full service agency Smarter Communications to handle its media planning and buying for a series of forthcoming campaigns promoting its range of cruise holidays.

1st4cruising.com works with the major cruise operators including P&O, Royal Caribbean and Cunard offering its customers some of the best value pricing on worldwide cruises. Smarter has been briefed to create a campaign that delivers standout in a fiercely competitive marketplace.

Cruising is one of the fastest growing sectors in the travel industry and is expected to reach 1.35 million passengers in the UK by the end of 2007, according to figures from the Passenger Shipping Association. Smarter has been tasked with growing 1st4cruising.com’s customer base in line with this, as well as expanding its position as the leading operator of ‘Cruise and Stay’ holidays.

Simon Herd, Account Director at Smarter commented: “advertising for cruise agents is normally concentrated in the classified travel sections of the national press. We’re developing a campaign that combines both traditional and non-traditional media routes to generate a greater return on the media investment.”

John Fair, Commercial Director at 1st4Cruising added: “Smarter’s experience in the travel sector made them an obvious choice. The new campaign will give us greater differentiation to further enhance our position as the leading cruise and stay specialist.”
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